From Begginning to End
by DC2011
Summary: Slight AU. Ion Team. An all Spartan III team. They were trained for this war. They were trained to die for humanity. And thet will die, its what they do before death that matters. Disclaimer i do not own Halo. R&R
1. Life of an Orphan

Life. That's what we were trained to protect. We were but simple orphans. Kids who had no one. We had no families, no homes, nothing… but each other. When I was brought here to Onyx I finally found where I belonged, amongst my brothers and sisters.

Life meant the human race. Protect the human race. Kill the Covenant. Simple? No. Protect Earth and her colonies from the alien collective known as the Covenant. We were trained. We were augmented. We are the human races shield. They are the sword.

Life. They are life are they not? But last time I checked humans had five fingers and didn't breathe methane.

Life. Was I not alive? I was a simple orphan, in a rundown orphanage on Harvest. Before the Covenant, I wished for a mother. I wished for a father. I wished for a home. God works in mysterious ways.

Life. I got my wish. I would fight those who threatened the ones I cared for. That was when Oni found me. I had just killed my first Sangheili. He destroyed the closest thing to a picture perfect family I had.

Life. They saw the carnage. They saw the lifeless bodies of my fellow orphans. They saw the corpse of the red and gold Sangheili. I stood over him. The knife covered in purple blood.

Life. I had taken life. Life had taken what I cared for most. I was brought to Onyx to start my training. Spartan. Trained from a young age to fight. Trained to kill. Trained to take a life.

Life. I was told I was here to protect it. I was told I was to not think twice about taking it. I was trained to be the best. I was the first. The first of Alpha Company. The first Spartan III.

Life. I was given life when I was born. I took life when I was three. I began a new life on Onyx. I would be trained to take life. And I would give up my life to protect life.

Life. For those who couldn't be here with me. I shall give my life to take theirs. I am a Spartan. Not just any Spartan.

"I am Spartan A001, Devon". _Life_ "I am a Spartan III"_ life_ "And I will give my life to protect theirs."


	2. Enter Ion

"Spartan A001 you're assigned to Ion team."

They called me. Colonel Ackerson points at me then at the D77-TC. I walked towards the troop carrier. It had something different about it. It had blue markings on the hull. I took my seat then drew my M45 TS and held it at the ready.

"Spartan A002 you're assigned-".

I decide not to listen about the others. Just listen for my own.

"Spartan A008 you're assigned to Ion team."

A008, Jacky. She isn't the best Spartan III. She was barely able to complete a kilometer sprint in less than five minutes. But then again her technical skills have proven to be her strong point. But as long as she points her gun at the enemy and not at me, then im good. She took up the seat across from me. We were both silent. We both wanted to know the same thing.

"Spartan A032 you're with Ion team."

A032, Edger. He was, as far as I could tell, anyone's best friend. Well anyone except the Covenant. His Operator had lines on the side. From what I could tell that's how many of us died during augmentation. He is sentimental. He entered the pelican and offering his hand. The both of us just stared at it for a few seconds the returned our heads to see the mass of Spartans. Edger then pulled his hand back seeing no one would return his friendly gesture.

"Spartan A045 you're with Ion team."

A045, Mclease. He's a hotshot alright. Either it's because his ancestors were disgruntled sailors… or it's because he has thirty pounds of explosives on his back. Either way as long as he can kill the Covenant and not kill us in the process then im alright with sharing a pelican with him. He takes the seat opposite from Edger, which so happens to be next to me.

"Spartan A083 you're the last of Ion team so get in the hell in that pelican."

Last? Well it seems were a team of five.

A083, Mario. He's more of an assault specialist than a sniper. But seeing we don't need to snipe anyone on our first mission. I'll make an exception. Mario took up the seat next to Edger. I don't blame him the moment he got on the pelican Mclease took the pin out of a grenade then quickly put the pin back in.

A female voice went over the inter com, "Alright Spartans im your pilot."She didn't really sound enthusiastic, but im sure ten years of war would do that to you. "You swabies can call me Hocus and until I land on solid ground I'll be the closest thing to a god you know, enjoy the flight."

'_Ok. Note to self Hocus is crazy'._

"Alright Ion here's the objective" I spoke up "the planet were nearing is third in the leading human resources miners. If it was to fall food, water, and material supplies would be cut by a fourth. It doesn't seem much but there's also a human population of over seven billion."

I didn't need to see their faces I could already see their expressions of terror. No not terror. Terror is produced from fear. Spartans don't fear. Any trace of fear disappeared with our old lives.

"We've all seen the holo vids" I yelled bring the rest of my team back to reality. "We know what the Covenant will do once they enter New Constantinople's atmosphere. So Vice admiral Whitcomb will keep them off of us until we land. And when we land expect all kinds of hell to break loose."

I brought my shotgun out to make sure it was loaded. The rest of Ion did the same. I had a shotgun. Jacky had an assault rifle. Edger had a designated marksman rifle. Mclease had an assault rifle. And Mario had two sub machine guns. Mclease then took the pin out of the same grenade then put it back in.

"For the love of god Mclease stop doing that you're making me paranoid" yelled Mario.

"Hey I like the noise it makes" said Mclease while pulling the pin out again and then putting it back in.

Mario was about to retort when the pelican rocked. The intercom then went on. "Alright Spartans we're on our way down now, but if you got anything you guys want to say just in case we get blown up then go ahead" said Hocus. I could tell she was holding back the urge to laugh.

"Ok then," Mario began to ramble "Mclease you're a jerk who's just begging to die, while for the rest of you I don't know you guys that well."

"Mario, the hell man we all are in the same dam company what do you mean you don't know us" said Edger.

"Oh shut up Edger cant you tell he's joking" said Jacky.

"Well sorry I don't really get jokes" replied Edger.

"It's alright edger not everyone has a sense of- Will you stop doing that!" We all turned to see Mclease put the pin back into his grenade.

So these were who I'd be stuck with till I died. A possibly suicidal maniac, an over active jokester, a sentimental best friend, and honestly i don't know enough about Jacky.

The intercom rang again. "Alright were approaching the LZ now enjoy your stay cause I sure as hell aint" said Hocus with every trace of humor gone.

The back of the pelican opened we all peered out to see plasma and bullets being sent in every direction. A pelican behind us took three plasma mortar rounds before dropping. The Spartans onboard jumped off the pelican and onto a rooftop.

"Alright you swabies the LZs to hot im not going to be able to land your all going to have to jump" said Hocus over the intercom.

We all got out of our seats, weapons in hand. The courtyard that was our LZ was littered with bodies, both human and covenant. We were coming in close to the ground and as team leader im first. We were close. Then a mortar round hit the side of the pelican. Throwing me and Jacky out of the pelican.


	3. Landing was the easy part

**I wont Lie this one kinda made me want to fall over from boredom of writing but yeah I'll update again probably tomorrow. Im really pushing the whole Mclease and the grenade bit here R&r. Disclaimer I do not own halo. **

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><p>We were free falling. About a good seventy feet till we would hit the ground. I turned my head to see Jacky activate her jetpack. '<em>Note to self switch out armor lock for jetpack when opportunity presents itself'.<em> Jacky slowed her descent while I continued to plummet to the ground.

I saw my shotgun falling beside me. Well not exactly beside me, more or less a yard beside me. I turned my head to see exactly where I'd land, right into a mess of Covenant. Great.

By my count I'd have five more seconds before I would hit the ground. I quickly pulled out my side arm, a M6C not exactly my favorite but it gets the job done.

Three seconds. A grunt turned its head to the sky finally noticing me. It let out a squeal and flailed its arms.

Zero. I landed on an elite, snapping its neck in the process. My shields took the blow from the fall but I still felt the shock. I fell to my knees and pointed my pistol at the nearest grunt. I let out five shots, the first to the chest, the second to the shoulder, the third to his left arm, and the fourth and fifth to the face. The grunt dropped as a jackal activated its shield. I grabbed a plasma grenade from the fallen elite and chucked it to the jackals right.

The jackal turned his shield to protect himself from the blast. As he did I put two of my seven remaining rounds into the side of his head, effectively killing him. One of the two remaining grunts shot wildly, hitting me a few times. I turned my arm to face the grunt unloading the last five bullets into the grunt.

The last grunt tossed his plasma rifle to the ground and ran. I dropped my pistol and grabbed the elites plasma rifle. I pulled the trigger and sent a three second barrage of plasma at the grunt. It dropped.

It wasn't much of a fight. I was trained to fight the Covenant. But it was more of space combat than ground combat. '_Where the hell is Jacky'_?

Ask and you shall receive. The red and grey Spartan finally landed. I could hear here holding back the urge to laugh.

"Whats so funny" I asked.

She just simply pointed at me and added, "What do you do in your spare time."

I finally took notice at the fact I was on the back of a dead elite. '_Note to self Jacky has a sick mind'._ "Stow it and help me up" I said putting my hand up.

"Sure thing boss." She took my hand and pulled me up. She walked off and I followed.

I turned my gaze to the sky to see Hocus's pelican was still flying, barely.

"Hocus whats your status over" I yelled into my com.

"Ion one it's good to hear from you we thought we had just lost you" said a feminine voice over the com.

"Trust me it'll take more than a fall to kill a Spartan" I said smirking.

"Well if you two are done lollygagging can you take out this Anti Air Wraith its giving us hell" yelled who I assume was Mario.

"Got it on our way" I said picking up my pace.

New Constantinople wasn't exactly a farm/ city like planet like Harvest. It was more of an industrial planet like Onyx… just with less smog, with more debris and dead bodies.

We finally arrived at the original LZ. It was filled destroyed vehicles, discarded weapons, and … bodies. '_No time to be sad Spartan focus on the objective'_ I thought to myself. I drew my plasma rifle and held it at the ready. Jacky did the same with her assault rifle. I pointed my arm to the left to signal Jacky to go left. I went right.

There were dead UNSC marines everywhere even the colonial militia had gotten their hands dirty. I came across a small fire fight between three marines and two elites. One elite, an elite ranger, had a needle rifle. The other one was an elite minor, with a plasma repeater.

The marines were behind the remains of a destroyed forklift. I aimed my plasma rifle for the minor and pulled the trigger. I let out a short burst at the elite. When one of my shots hit the elite, it turned its attention away from the marines and towards me. _Divide and conquer. _That phrase rang through my brain. One of Chief Mendez's training situations.

I took out my discarded pistols spare ammo clips and tossed them at the minor. When they made contact with the elite, the elite gave out a roar of rage. It turned its attention away from the marines and towards me. It charged. And so did I.

I raised my plasma rifle at the elite and vice versa. We both pulled the trigger. We both sent a wave of plasma towards one another. But thankfully my shields held up. His didn't.

The moment the split jaw's shields fell. I jumped up and smacked the elite with my gun. He fell back dead with blood coming out from under his helmet.

The elite ranger turned to see his comrade fall. He let out an enraged roar and activated his jetpack. I watched as the elite soared through the sky, the needle rifle aimed in my direction. So much for_ Divide and Conquer_.

I picked up the dead elite and used his corpse as a make shift shield.

"How dare you use his body for a shield where is your honor" I heard the elite yell. Honor. Since when was war honorable.

By my count there were six needle rounds in the minor's dead body. '_Time to make my move' _I thought to myself. I threw the body into the ranger's line of fire. The ranger gave off another shot that made contact with the body. I readied my plasma grenade. The explosion flared causing the elite to shut his eyes for a few seconds. Just enough time. I threw the grenade immediately after the body exploded. The grenade made contact with the ranger's visor.

"Heresy" was the last words the elite said before the grenade claimed his life in a magnificent blue explosion.

I holstered my plasma rifle and picked up the minor's plasma rifle claiming it as my own. I moved towards the marines who gave me thumbs ups.

"Marines where's the rest of your squad?" I asked them.

"Sir their either dead" there was a brief pause "or their injured like Travis here" he said pointing at the marine on the floor with bandages covering his chest.

"Marine whats your name?" I asked.

"Gunnery Sergeant Josh Occana" he said giving me a salute.

"Well marine seeing your medic" I pointed towards the medic "is tending to… Travis, im going to need your help."

"Sir Yes sir, whats the mission sir" said Josh who raised his assault rifle.

"Well im not going to lie to you, we're taking out an AA Wraith near the central plaza it's just going to be me, you, and my fellow Spartan, can you handle it?" I asked the marine.

There was a brief silence that passed when responded. "Sir I signed up to kill covies, now I wouldn't be doing my job if I denied you" he answered truthfully.

"Stay close and be observant who knows how many more strays are out here…" I paused seeing Travis had a shotgun "Marine do you need your shot gun?"

"Sir no sir" he said raising his shotgun.

"Good man" I said taking it and handing him the plasma repeater.

Me and Josh moved as fast as we could. It wasn't long before I got a call from Hocus.

"Ion lead what the hell is taking you so long that's the only LZ available" yelled Hocus over the com channel.

"Sorry for the delay Hocus but I picked up a marine and we're enroute to the AA Wraith, so give us a minute or two" I replied while running.

"Just hurry it up I hate having this guy on my bird he keeps taking the pin out of his grenades its freaking me and my copilot out" she said implying Mclease's actions.

"Don't worry we're almost there" I could hear Mario and Edger yelling over the line.

"Good luck Ion one" she said truthfully.

Me and Josh stopped next to a prone Jacky. "Dually noted AA Wraith's are within view and I have an idea" I told Hocus over the com "Devon out."

Jacky got out of her prone position and crouched. Josh and I fallowed in sync. "So lieutenant I take it _we're_ the only ones who are here" said Jacky who turned her head towards Josh.

"No but he's the only one able bodied" I replied.

_**BOOM**_. The three of us turned to see the debris of a hornet fall from the sky like a flaming meteor. "So whats the plan sir?" asked Josh.

I tapped the bottom part of my helmet. I turned to the both of them and cocked my shotgun. "We're taking that wraith."

"Sir I have twelve Covenant on my motion tracker" spoke up Jacky.

"Tell me do you have a plasma pistol?" I asked Jacky. She slowly moved behind a rock and came back with a plasma pistol in hand.

"They never bother to check their dead" she said tossing the plasma based weapon to me.

There was a brief silence from Josh. "And you so happened to know that it was there" he pointed out.

"Will the excuse that I killed the grunt before you two showed up" she hastily replied.

"Will you two shut up we have work to do" I said quickly ending the chance of an argument. "Now you two be the distraction im going to steal the wraith." With that I was off.

The elites and grunts were armed with fusion rods, nasty weapons. I sneaked by behind the wreckage of destroyed hornets and pelicans, even a vulture. _'How one AA could do that is beyond me'?_

To my horror when I neared the edge of the vulture I spotted two more AA Wraiths. '_Crap'._

"Hey Hocus" I whispered over the com.

"Whats the news Ion lead?" she asked hopefully.

"We have a problem… or two" I said readying my shotgun.

"Just deal with it I can't take Ion fours antics any longer I swear if the Covenant don't blow my bird out of the sky its him" she replied with all traces of hope replaced with pure agitation.

"Understood but you try being in our shoes right now" i ended the transmission. '_Here I go'_ I thought as I ran towards the nearest wraith. Thankfully the covenant is preoccupied with our forces in the air.

I climbed on top of the wraith, plasma pistol in hand. I over charged the pistol and fired. The wraith was stalled. I punched the entrance hatch repeatedly until my friend or foe radar told me there wasn't anyone alive onboard. I ripped off the entrance hatch and grabbed the corpse. I flung it over my shoulder and entered the wraith. '_It's about to get loud_' I thought to myself when I activated the weapons systems.

The covenant finally took notice when Josh and Jacky opened fire on them. I turned my head to see Jacky jump on top of an elite and stab it in the neck. "Nighty night you split jawed freak" I heard Jacky yell over the team com.

I moved the wraith to face the one on my left. I aimed and fired, sending a barrage of plasma at the wraith destroying it. I then turned to the wraith on my right and did the same. The wraith was destroyed in eight shots. I turned my attention to the ground forces. Now there were just four elites the rest were dead. I unleashed five rounds ending the fire fight.

I got out of the wraith and raised Hocus over the com. "Hocus its Ion lead, the LZ is clear and I have a present have a nice day" I said ending transmission. I walked over to see several pelicans over the horizon.


	4. Plans and Tanks

**Sorry for the late update. But malware viruses suck. So i had to wipe my computer and i had to redo this chapter and some other stuff. So its not as good as i intended it to be. But next chapter i promise will be both longer and better. So without further ado heres Ch4.**

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><p><strong>Above New Constantinople, July 7, 2536<strong>

Vice Admiral Danforth Whitcomb stared blankly at the A.I in front of him. The A.I's avatar resembled a man wearing an orange hazmat suit. The A.I didn't have a face, or at least his face was hidden behind a silver visor.

Whitcomb just turned his attention to the covenant cruisers already in New Constantinople's atmosphere. He narrowed his eyes towards the collective of Covenant Corvette above the continent Byzantium. Whitcomb returned his attention to the orange A.I. "So our MAC cannons is offline, our forces on the ground have been cut in half, and the civilians in Byzantium are unable to escape because of the Covenant forces both on the ground and in the sky" said Whitcomb tapping his fingers on a nearby control panel "and you want me to do what?" Whitcomb gave his full attention to the A.I.

"Sir we have one third of the Spartan III Alpha company on Byzantium" the A.I paused as a plasma round rocked the vessel "and we have two teams of Head Hunter units on board the 'Spring Field', and with your permission sir I would like to deploy the Head Hunters on the Corvettes."

Whitcomb waited for the A.I to continue. After a few more moments of waiting "I take it you want me to ask you of your plan?"

"Affirmative" was the A.I's response.

"So what do you have in mind?" Whitcomb asked with a slight hint of annoyance.

"We have a Spartan teams, companies of marines and ODSTs, and they are armored with enough air support and ground vehicles to put a crater the size of UNSC frigate in New Constantinople" said the A.I.

Another explosion rocked the 'Spring Field'. "Ensign Torres status" yelled Whitcomb.

The Ensign scrambled back into his seat. "Sir all weapon systems are offline" yelled the Ensign.

"Without those guns the 'Spring Field' won't be much help, signal the 'Lancer' and tell them they're going to have to make room for two thousand souls."

"Yes sir" was the Ensigns reply before he returned his attention to the screen in front of him.

"Stillskin begin evacuation procedures and then alert the Spartans on the ground to get their asses to the Byzantium spaceports on the double" said Whitcomb.

The A.I Stillskin tapped the side of his helmet. "Done, I've sent word to the Spartans. Their top priority now is to keep the Covenant away from Byzantiums' spaceports and all naval personnel, including marines, have been given word on the evac" Stillskin gave another brief pause before continuing "anything else?"

Whitcomb gave a slight frown before answering. "Yes leave one pelican for the Head Hunters and give them the green light for their mission" Whitcomb let out a heavy sigh before continuing "then set the nav computer for a direct path towards the Covenant Super Carrier, it'll be a one way trip but…"

"It was a pleasure to serve with you" finished Stillskin. Danforth Whitcomb, along with the rest of the bridge crew, exited the bridge and made his way to the command crews' personal Bumble Bee escape pod.

Danforth couldn't help but frown. After all. Stillskin was one hell of an A.I.

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><p>The pelican drop ships landed on and around the bodies, discarded weapons, and debris from the wraiths. The drop ships unloaded their payload, nine Spartans, thirty marines, three warthogs, and one scorpion tank.<p>

"Hey boss our tank is shinier than yours" I heard Mario call out to me snickering.

"Yeah except mine has a better paint job" I motioned to the wraith's near blood red paint job.

"Yeah but ours shoots 90mm TUNGSTEN armor piercing ballistic capped rounds, so beat that."

"Okay I'll let you have this one because I don't know what kind of ammo round it shoots, all I know is that it makes things blow up" I responded laughing. '_Note to self Mario is the team's joker'_ I thought to myself. "Alright marines, we're gonna ride up on these scorpions and push on north" I took a pause to cock my shotgun "and kill every inhuman sob unlucky enough to cross our paths, am I right marines" there were a round of 'hell yeah's "dam straight."

I walked over to Mclease who was pulling the pins out of his grenades, again, and putting them back in. Mclease if it'll stop you from doing that, I'll let _you_ drive the wraith" I said pointing my thumb to the AA wraith.

Mclease gave a salute and ran to the wraith screaming "Suck it you covies I got a new toy."

I shook my head the turned towards Mario's tank. The M808B was a sight to behold. The driver canopy is able to take over thirty minutes of continuous fire from an MA5B at point blank range. The M808B is able to climb the steepest of mountains. The M808B is able to obliterate covenant mechanized forces in one shot. If the Covenant thought one of these were bad, they've got six of them ready to blown the living crap out of them.

Mario pulled up to me and raised the canopy, "Sir you sure Mclease should be the one to drive the wraith?" he asked raising an eyebrow behind his helmet.

I turned to face him. "It may not look like it Mario, but at times like these, there are only the guys willing to give their lives for what they believe in" I paused for a second to gather my breath "and Mclease is one of those guys." Mario gave out a humorless laugh then returned to the tanks controls.

"So you gonna ride or are you just gonna walk like the rest of the platoon" Mario said pointing to the marines already setting off on foot.

"I've had enough of walking for one day" I said hoping on the left tread in the front. Mario just gave out a small chuckle then nodded towards the three ODSTs' taking the other treads.

"Ion one, this is Ion two, do you read me" Jacky chatted over team com.

"Ion one here go ahead Ion two" I replied.

"The A.I. Stillskin has given word to all available Spartan teams to head to the nearest spaceport, and keep the Covenant away from the civilian transports" said Jacky.

"Well… how far is the nearest spaceport?" I asked.

There was a brief pause before Jacky responded. "A good twelve klicks sir."

I was about to respond when Mclease chatted over team com. "Well sir look on the bright side" he began "we have tanks and a long road ahead filled with Covenant begging to get blown up."


End file.
